Palmer, his friends alleged, lost his whole fortune; it was shrewdly suspected, however, that he had, in truth, no fortune to lose.

In any case he speedily retired from the new theatre.
It was open for brief seasons with such exhibitions of music, dancing, and pantomime, as were held to be unaffected by the Act, and permissible under the license of the local magistrates.

From time to time, however, the relentless patentees took proceedings against the actors.

Delpini, the clown, was even committed to prison for exclaiming "Roast Beef!" in a Christmas pantomime.

By uttering words without the accompaniment of music he had, it appeared, constituted himself an actor of a stage play.
Some five-and-twenty years later, Elliston was now memorialising the king, now petitioning the House of Commons and the Privy Council, in reference to the opening of an additional theatre.